 | | | Ginger Wadsworth
| | | | | | When the dog days of summer nip at our heels, there's nothing quite like finding a shady spot and reading. And the chance to engage a young friend in the colorful world of books is even better than stretching out by yourself. Ginger Wadsworth is a children's book author with over 30 year's experience. The Orinda resident writes for children, but not down to their level, and the subject matter and colorful illustrations can easily engage the child in each of us. "I guess I've never grown up," she says, explaining her focus on children's books. But Wadsworth comes from a family of authors including her father (who also wrote for children) a grandfather, two brothers and a sister-in-law. Her work portfolio includes young reader biographies of Annie Oakley, Cesar Chavez, John Muir, and Julia Morgan. Her general non-fiction selections include the new Camping with the President, which has President Teddy Roosevelt teaming up with naturalist John Muir for a trip to Yosemite. The book is a great summer read, says Wadsworth, who just returned from Yosemite herself. She was delighted to find the park "overflowing with water and families."
Wadsworth's newest science and natural history selection is the Charlotte's Web-themed Up, Up and Away. The illustrations are awesome --- colorful, intricate, and just right in their complexity. While her narration may be simple, the author strives for accuracy even in the illustrations. You won't find an east coast jay bird in a California setting if she can help it.
Wadsworth's website is aimed at her young audience as well. The U-tube book trailers are voiced by young readers and look like a mini-movie. Wadsworth says her books reflect her own interest in the natural world: "As a California native, I often write about my state and western American history." When Wadsworth takes to the hills to explore, she often brings along her doggy "writing buddies," Willa and Scout.
A good book to read and a four-legged friend. Summer days don't get much better than that.
Learn more about the author and her upcoming projects by visiting her website: www.gingerwadsworth.com.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA